It’s not something that we tend to hear an awful lot about in the press. But like car accidents, workplace injury is something that is always going on in the background. And it is responsible for more suffering and misery than practically anything else.

Every year, thousands of us are injured on the job. And as a result, they can lose earning power and incur large medical bills. But what should you do after we’ve been injured? Should you go back to your old job?

The answer to that question obviously depends on a many, not least how your employer responds. When you get back to work, it is standard practice for your company to hold a meeting with you. This meeting is a chance for you to catch up with them and tell them how you’ve been getting on. It’s an opportunity for you to tell them if you have any ongoing issues related to your injury.

Most people who have been seriously injured at work need some type of rehabilitation. And responsible employers need to do all they can to facilitate a return to work. Often, employees suffer mobility problems after they have been injured. So this meeting is a chance for you to raise these concerns.

How your employer reacts during this initial meeting is vital information. Any reasonable employer will take all the necessary steps to help you get back on track. They’ll recognize that the fault was theirs and that they need to undo the damage they have done. In other words, they’re very sorry for what happened and desperately want to retain you.

But sometimes employers don’t recognize their duties. In fact, they can sometimes ignore their health and safety obligations. If an employer doesn’t offer a reasonable level of support, it might be time to move on. It’s clear that the employer isn’t interested in retaining you as a member of staff.

On the other hand, you might find your initial meeting productive. Your employer vows to assist you in whatever ways you require, and you start back at work feeling good about the future. Unfortunately, though, that’s not where the problems end. Your employer has a responsibility to investigate the causes of your injury, and to put things right. But often the very thing that caused you to be injured in the first place has not been resolved. Here you call for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration violation investigation. These investigations are designed to make sure that your employer is following their legal duties to keep workers safe. Remember, you don’t have to go it alone. Legal firms like Robin J. Peterson Company, LLC, assist in these types of investigation.

Ultimately, whether or not you move on to another employer after being injured is a personal decision. It all comes down to the quality of the company that you work for. Great companies will be flexible, allow you plenty of time off for hospital trips. And they’ll generally do all they can to support your rehabilitation. Bad companies won’t do this, will play the blame game and won’t fix what went wrong in the first place. And when this happens, it’s probably time you moved on.

This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.